How Important is the Truth?

Is the Truth More Important than Just Getting Along?

What stops people from all getting along? 

Hard-heartedness?

Arrogance?

Ignorance?

Emotionalism?

Language barrier?

Religious or ideological differences?

Skin color?

Economic differences?

Cultural differences?

Lies?

All of the above?

I am going to pick four.

1.  The hardness of the heart.

2.  Language barriers.

3.  Religious and/or ideological differences.

4.  Lies.

James 4:1 says, ‘From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?’

The war starts within the individual whose heart is hardened toward God.  They are ruled by the things of the material world instead of the things of God.  If a man is jealous of his neighbor’s house, job, or wife, why not expand that to jealous of the neighboring nation’s houses, land, and people?  If a man or woman is not at peace with God, they cannot possibly establish a real or lasting peace within themselves, much less with their own family, and much less with those around them.

Language barriers certainly make for misunderstandings and lack of unity.  Even the same language but spoken in a different dialect can cause misunderstandings. 

Religious and ideological differences naturally pit people against each other.  If one is right, the other must be wrong. Nobody likes to have their personal life challenged. 

Lying is a common denominator for all of the above.

A hard heart is first necessary to be a lying heart.  To be a bold and bald faced liar requires a very hard heart.  This requires an ability to lie to one’s self on some level.  Ultimately, war begins in the heart of the individual and it spreads as far as it can go. 

Liars are not always easily spotted.  That is because they usually are able to lie to themselves. Liars are often quite cunning as well. One very effective tactic is to tell a lot of truth mixed in with a dreadful lie. Another very effective tactic they use is to simply change the subject.  Instead of trying to lie their way out of or into a particular situation, they simply act like the question is really something else.  For instance the war on terror has become a ‘question’ of ‘racial profiling’ instead of actually fighting a war on terror.  To a rational mind it is insane for homeland security to do what amounts to a physical assault on elderly people and small children who are simply trying to board a passenger plane.  It has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with locating terrorists.  It is about cowards and bullies being careful not to profile likely terrorists. 

As hideous as the homeland security assault on the freedoms of the innocent may be, there is an evil circumnavigating the globe that is far worse.  It is an assault on the truth that is straight from hell.  There is a hideous coalition between Moslems and ‘Christians’ looking for similarities between Islam and Christianity that will bring about peace.  Evangelicals are not included in these meetings because Evangelicals would not be able to restrain themselves from attempting to convert Moslems. 

The absolute and unquestionable truth is that the Bible clearly states there is one way and only one way into heaven.  Allah’s book clearly gives a totally different way to get into the place Allah calls heaven.  THAT is the reason there is conflict between the two.  Can we find similarities between the two?  If they look hard enough and long enough there can probably some things that appear similar.  So what?  There are similarities between poison mushrooms and edible mushrooms.  If you find the similarities does that mean you can eat both poison and non-poison mushrooms without suffering the consequences?  The similarities do not change the fact that eating poison mushrooms will kill you!  Any so-called similarities between Islam and Christianity do not change the fact that both claim there is only one way into heaven, but they claim the way is different.  What matters is not any ‘similarities’.  What matters is which is the truth.  Is Jesus Christ who He claimed/claimes to be or is Mohammad correct in demanding worship of the god of the book written entirely by Mohammad?

Eating or not eating poison mushrooms is a life or death situation.  Choosing to follow Jesus Christ or Mohammad is a matter of eternal life or death.  Jesus Christ says following Him is the way that leads to life everlasting.  Jesus also says that rejecting Him leads to eternal torment in a place called hell.  Allah’s book claims he is the way into the place he calls heaven.  Allah demands murder of those who reject him as a guarantee of entrance into his heaven.  Jesus Christ requires simple belief in Him.  Those who have committed their life to Jesus Christ don’t have to do anything else to enter heaven. The God of the Bible died so sinners could be saved from hell and enter the kingdom of heaven.  The god of the Koran demands that people die slaughtering others in order to get into his paradise.  I really don’t see the benefit of working so hard to get into a place filled with murders.  Actually, that sounds like hell to me.

I could list a lot of differences between Christianity and Islam, but the main difference, the deal breaker in any sort of ‘compromise’ or ‘merger’ between the two, is Jesus Christ.  Christians accept Him as God, pre-existent, virgin born, crucified to death, buried, risen from the dead by his own power, and returning to earth to set up His kingdom. Islam claims Jesus was just a minor prophet, and very unimportant prophet at that.

Now how is anyone who takes either Jesus or Allah seriously going to find any similarities in that?  You cannot reconcile those differences.  Either Jesus Christ is telling the truth about who He is, or Mohammad is telling the truth about who Allah is. 

A second deadly difference between Christianity and Islam is the method of conversion.  If the God of the Bible had wanted people in His kingdom who had no choice in the matter, He would not have given human beings free will to choose Him or reject Him in the first place.  Those who go to Christ go of their own free will.  There have been instances where so-called Christians converted by force.  That is totally against what the Bible teaches and is an abomination to God.  Islam on the other hand is only following the Koran’s teaching when they convert by force.  If there is no conversion, they slaughter those who refuse to convert. 

That makes two differences in Christianity and Islam over which there can be no compromise.

Either Jesus Christ is the Son of God or He isn’t.

Either salvation is by grace through faith as the Bible says, or it is brought about through bullying to the point of murder.

Practically speaking – what does this mean?

It definitely means there is a fork in the road. 

Those following Allah to paradise are absolutely NOT going down the road that leads to heaven where Jesus Christ is preparing a place for those who love Him.  

Looking for similarities instead of pointing out the irreconcilable differences between Christianity and Islam paves the path to hell for many of the lost. 

It is important to mention one more thing.  Over and over we hear that Islam is a religion of peace that has been hijacked by evil people.  This is not the truth.  Actually in this you can find a similarity between Islam and Christianity.  Many and probably most people professing either faith are marginal adherents.  They don’t really read their book or apply it to their lives.  When a person begins to take their faith seriously, they read the book and begin to apply what it says to their lives. 

The Koran undoubtedly teaches to kill those who don’t accept Islam.  When a Moslem begins to take his religion seriously, he begins to do what the book says to do.

The Bible definitely teaches to love one another as Christ loves us; that Christ took the penalty for the sinner; that salvation is by grace through faith; and people have free will to accept or reject Jesus Christ.  When a Christian begins to take his/her faith seriously he/she begins to do the things Christ says to do.

There are millions of people in the middle in both Christianity and Islam.  They are social, or cultural believers, but they don’t take it really seriously.  In the case of Islam, they may be followers of Allah just to protect their lives, but they still don’t actually take it seriously as in actually doing what the book says to do.

So, the question becomes how seriously do you take your faith?  If it is just a cultural or social or political convenience, then you may be able to be content to look for the similarities between major religions of the world.  If you believe the Bible is true and that Jesus is the Son of God, then you will have to speak up when given the opportunity.

What Christians have on their side is the truth which is that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.  The word of God has a power all its own, far beyond the ability of any orator to excel. 

Memorize and remember this:

Hebrews 4:12

 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Pray that Christians will have the courage to simply tell the truth.  Jesus saves. 

Profiling Jesus Christ

Profiling

Are you one of those nuts who has searched genealogy records until you have a family tree the size of a giant redwood?  Don’t feel bad.  It is sort of like an addiction.  You really can’t help it.  I now you can’t help it because I can’t help it either.  Ok, I actually didn’t personally work that hard at it.  A relative did most of the work.  I just bought the book.  Of course the book was published years ago and is out of date, but then who cares about living relatives?  After all, if they are relatives who are still alive you have to talk to them and even socialize with them.  It opens a whole new can of worms when it comes to a family getting along smoothly. (For adoptees searching for family there should be an entirely different category.  Their search is different. My heart certainly goes out to them, and I wish them well.)

Most of us can be very thankful for the blessings of family and for the help and comfort given to us by our family through all sorts of trials.  Still, there may be a few relatives we don’t care to know any better than we already know them.  Now, ancestors from our distant past can be a lot of fun.  We can imagine they were the perfect or heroic relative that everyone would love to have in his or her past.  We can ignore the fact that even semi-perfect and heroic people are in fact just people.  They would have had really good qualities and a few irritating quirks about them just like favorite relatives living still.

If you have an interesting relative from the past how could you get to sort of know that person?  This is beyond just filling in the blanks on a genealogy chart.  This would be knowing enough about that person to actually feel like you knew them personally.  It is time to profile when you want more than a name filling in its proper slot in the genealogy chart.  You want to feel like you sat down and chatted with them over a stiff cup of tea and slice of homemade pie.

If you can come up with a photo or two that would be nice.  Just studying the face sort of gives an impression of what a person is like.  If you can’t get a photo, just imagine someone who is average in every way until you get to know them. 

Can you find out what they did with their life?  Shoe maker?  Farmer?  Home-maker? Married?  Church goer? 

 You can find out all that, but you still just know about that person.  You really don’t know that person.  It seems the only real way to know the person who has captured your interest is to know someone who knew that person.  Or, perhaps there might be letters or other written material mentioning the person you want to know. 

In my husband’s family there is a person of interest to most of us.  It is Jerry’s uncle who was killed D-day, 1944.  We have talked to those who knew him, especially those in the family.  All we really know is that he ‘was a very nice person’ and people burst into tears when his name is mentioned.  So, we really didn’t get much out of them.  Even all these years later, that is really all we know.  People who served with him the war are not prone to burst into tears, they just get a little choked up.  They say the same thing. ‘He was a very nice person; what a shame; what a friend; I think of him often;’ and things like that.  They don’t even mention what a hero he was.  They just say he was very nice.  We do know he was brought up in a Baptist church under a good preacher.  He was a professing Christian.  His army buddies said he was definitely a g-rated guy.  He was barely 25 when he was killed while carrying wounded to safety.

 So, it is sort of a dead end.  Even with what we do know, we really don’t know that much.  We strongly suspect he had a subtle sense of humor like his brother Elson.  We know he had a sort of goofy walk like my husband and son.  It is hard to describe.  We do know that on more than one occasion he ‘spoke French’ to a vehicle he was working on.  That’s about it.  We know these things from reading ‘One More Hill’ by Frankly Johnson.  If you read Frank’s book, the man he calls ‘Pappy’ is Gerald.  Although Gerald was only 25 when he died, he was the old guy in the outfit, so they called him pappy.  By the way, Franks’ book was recently re-published and is required reading at West Point and several other places.  http://www.ww2awards.com/person/42749  tells a little about Gerald’s last earthly day.

 We all know something else.  We know that based on his faith in Jesus Christ, we will see him in heaven.  THEN we can all really get to know him and talk about whatever people talk about in heaven.  I am sure it will be things that are very interesting and that the food will be excellent.

 But, in the meantime, the profiling goes on.  I was thinking about this recently due to a family member getting a duplicate set of Gerald’s medals.  But I started thinking about someone else from history and eternity that everyone needs to get to know better.  That is Jesus Christ. 

 Today there are people who have such a small concept of Jesus that they confuse him with Allah and bunch of other beings who claim to be God. 

 In profiling Jesus we have a written book filled with information about Jesus that will help get started, and carry through to a truthful profile of Jesus.  Through these writing people have the opportunity to get a clear picture of who Jesus is and what He did and what He does.  It is the Bible.

 The Bible is unique among books.  God used many authors to write the book.  Each author wrote the words of God, but was allowed to write in a style peculiar to that author. 

The first four books of the New Testament tell us many things about Jesus.  Each was written by a different person with a different perspective, but each book tells the same story.

 They tell us Jesus was the virgin born Son of God.

They tell us Jesus was crucified to death, buried, rose the third day, was seen by many people, and ascended to heaven to be with the Father, leaving the promise He was coming back.

 Those are key points in the life of Christ.  However, we are also given much more information about Jesus in the Bible.

We know that:

Jesus loved children.  Of children He said, ‘Such is the kingdom of heaven.’
Jesus had compassion.  He was always feeding the hungry and healing the sick.
Jesus had power never seen in a mere human being before or after Him.
Jesus had power to raise the dead.
Jesus came especially to seek out and save those lost – those separated from God because God is perfect and they are not.  The Bible calls them sinners.  Today we think of a ‘sinner’ as a very evil person.  In truth a sinner is anyone who isn’t entirely perfect and righteous.
Jesus came to call sinners to repentance.
Jesus’ Kingdom is not of this world.
Jesus died to make a way to enter heaven for those who turn to Him.

Also in profiling Jesus we can follow the prophecies of Moses and the Prophets found from Genesis to Malachi.  We have the entire Bible to use in getting to know Jesus.

 This is not a scientific paper, or a paper written to get a passing grade from a university professor watching to see if my references are all correct.  It is really intended to challenge those who would consider a profile done of a criminal as gospel truth, but doubt the truth and authority of the Bible.  Do a profile of Jesus Christ.  Do it honestly with the intention of determining the truth.  Look at the evidence.  Set personal feelings aside. 

 There is historical evidence for Jesus from different eye witnesses clearly recorded in the Bible.

Pay strict attention to the eye witness evidence of Jesus’ character.  Watch what He did in specific situations, how He reacted to pain and suffering, and how He took the penalty of sin on Himself.  These things will help you not to confuse Jesus with other’s who claim to have a way of salvation also.  People have a right to follow others instead of Jesus, but they cannot combine Jesus with any other and still be truthful. 

 The resurrection of Jesus is unique among religions.  Most want to say Jesus did not rise from the dead.  The evidence that He did rise again is overwhelming.  For instance, the behavior of His followers gives clear evidence that He did indeed rise from the dead.  Consider that when Jesus was crucified, almost all of His followers deserted Him and ran away.  They went straight back to their old lives.  Or perhaps they went further into riotous living than before they met Jesus.  After all, Peter went fishing naked after Jesus was crucified.  I don’t read he was a naked fisherman when Jesus first called Him.  BUT, when they met the risen Jesus their lives changed.  They recognized and acknowledged who He really is.  They followed Him for the rest of their lives under trying circumstances that led to the death of most of them.  Of course there is other evidence.  It can be found in the Bible. 

 To profile Jesus:

Ask your questions
Weigh the answers given in the Bible
Test the arguments

 Look at the prophecies fulfilled.

Look for prophecies yet to be fulfilled such as the two witnesses who will proclaim Jesus from Jerusalem for 3 ½ years.

Look for false prophets who have no mention in the Bible. For instance there is no prophecy of Joseph Smith and the Mormons, nor any indication of the blatant changes made to the Bible in the book written by Joseph Smith.  It isn’t there.  Don’t be fooled.

Neither is there any prophecy of Mohammad or any of the things he wrote in his book.  Don’t be fooled.  By the way, Mohammad denied Jesus was crucified at all.

Neither did Jesus teach that all roads lead to heaven.  He taught no one was going to heaven except through Him.

Neither did Jesus teach that ‘if your good works outweigh your bad works you will get into heaven’.  He taught salvation by grace through faith and not of works.

 Honestly, in doing a profile of Jesus Christ you are doing a profile of truth.  In profiling anyone you want to get at the truth.  If you have a relative you want to be a genius philanthropist, you won’t find that person in a truthful profile if he/she was really a poor person with limited intelligence.  The point of a profile is an accurate and truthful picture of the person you are profiling.  If you are profiling an ancestor, then it really doesn’t matter if you kid yourself a little – or even a lot.  In profiling Jesus Christ it matters.  It matters for eternity. 

 Here are a few songs that ‘profile’ heaven.

In heaven I will see daddy and granddad and my father in law and his brother Gerald.

These beloved people are there waiting for us in the place where Jesus is. 

In the Sweet By and By

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSP5GfAG1yI

Goin’ Home

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJFhTb1gi6Y&feature=related

Lyrics   http://lyrics.astraweb.com/display/549/gospel..unknown..goin_home.html

 Pearly White City

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykzDg_cb3jQ

 Take My Hand Precious Lord

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNrVed6dP6s

 Across the Bridge (there’s no more sorrow)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-FYGjhwo40

In doing a profile of Jesus Christ those seeking to really know Him will see the way into heaven.

He is the way that leads to life everlasting.

 In this world in which we live, Christians have so many distractions it is often difficult to stay focused on the things that matter.  It is time for every Christian to do a self-profile and see if what value they place on their citizenship in heaven.  Everyone of us could probably at least tweak our actions here on earth to do a little better.

We don’t have words to describe heaven.  We really don’t even have the mental capacity to understand the wonders of heaven.  We do know it will be better than anything we can imagine.  It will be filled with the wonder of little children.  We also know there is room for all those we can show the way to Jesus.  Part of our personal Christian profile should be our willingness to point others to Jesus.   Our strength is in the Lord.  He will strengthen us to tell others the wonderful words of life found only in Jesus Christ.

 Wonderful Words of Life

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb5Pu_QXKsI

Rock of Ages

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJW22t143bw

 His Eye is On the Sparrow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGcrd_ZD8pc

 There is Coming a Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIUNezJv88w

My friends, there really is a day coming.  There is still time to improve your own Christian profile. Tell the world that Jesus saves, and no other has the words of life.

And just for good measure remember the Old Rugged Cross.  Our Christian profile is really a way of telling others how important that cross is to us. 

The Old Rugged Cross
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDCK7J7pWtk&feature=related

Repentance and Faith and Works

Repentance and Faith and Works 

If you watch a lot of news, you are probably afraid to leave the house.  If you really watch a lot of news, you are probably afraid even when you do stay in the house.  No one is safe anywhere.  If you aren’t robbed or murdered by gang members or drug addicts, you may get attacked in a different way by the EPA or some other out of control branch of your own government. It is time for Christians to stand up and do something.  But what is there to do?  What can be done to make this a better world where people have the freedom to enjoy those inalienable rights with which were endowed by our Creator? (inalienable = unchallengeable, absolute, indisputable, undeniable, unassailable…..) 

We can definitely say that 2 Timothy 3:1 is coming to pass.  It says, ‘This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.’

In these perilous times the duty of the Christian has not changed.  The duty of every Christian remains EVANGELISM.  The hearts of those who know Christ are changed.  The world needs at least a chance to hear about Jesus.  Many haven’t heard at all.  Others need someone to tell them again.  What an individual does with Jesus is up to that individual.  It is the job of Christians to tell others about Jesus.

 Christians do want those living apart from reconciliation with God to understand their need to make peace with God Almighty and to be saved.  Christians also understand that any reconciliation between an individual and God must be a free will choice of the individual.  Forced conversions are not conversions at all.

 There is currently a growing danger to evangelicals around the world.  Consider the Christian pastor in Iran who has been jailed for more than two years for being a Christian.  He is under a death sentence because he won’t renounce his faith in Jesus Christ.  The Christians of the world have been praying for his safety and release.  He has made national news on numerous occasions.  He has a wife and two little boys.  (Youcef Nadarkhani   http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/international/christian-pastor-sentenced-to-death-in-iran-for-apostasy  Please take a moment to pray for our brother in Christ and his family.)

 Persecution in Sudan  http://www.gracemagazine.org.uk/articles/mission/sudan.htm

Samaritans Purse Sudan bombed in 2012  http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/articles/bible_camp_bombed/

And – numerous news stories over the past few years regarding the ‘terrorist threat’ of fundamental Christians and those with traditional conservative views.

 Christianity is definitely not the religion for cowards.  And, evangelists seems to be really asking for trouble.  Yet, those working to spread the Gospel keep on preaching Jesus Christ even in the face of death. 

 On our own, we Christians have no more courage than anyone else.  The pastor in an Iranian prison awaiting execution is just a human being like the rest of us.  I know it is the Lord who has strengthened him to refuse to renounce his faith.  Non-Christians who are watching this news story may wonder what it is that strengthens him to cling to his faith in the face of death; and we can hope that some watching this man will seek out Jesus Christ for themselves.  I expect our brother in Christ has had times of despair, times of overwhelming loneliness, times of terror over the fate of his family.  Probably his worst nightmare is that his sons would be forced into Islam.  Of course we can’t know what thoughts are going through his mind, but we do know he is a human being, subject to the same weaknesses as everyone else. 

 I love the old hymn ‘Just as I Am’.  One line says, ‘fightings and fears, within without, O Lamb of God, I come’.  That pretty much describes us all. The hymn was written by a woman describing her journey to faith in Christ.  It is also appropriate when describing a Christian beginning a work for Christ.  Evangelism is often thought of as a preacher or missionary preaching to a congregation.  This is true.  However, it is also one on one.  It is a Christian like you or me telling someone else that God Himself has made a way for people to be reconciled to God and to escape hell.

(Just As I Am  http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/j/u/s/justasam.htm )

 When Christians set their minds to take Christianity seriously, evangelism on some level becomes an integral part of their lives.  Their hearts desire becomes that others will be saved.  But, they recognize their own frailties.  We Christians have no power to compel others to be saved.  The evangelist must witness by faith in the mighty power of God to convert the lost soul.  

Here is a very good quote from an Author Pink sermon on faith.  If we are going to witness by faith, then a better understanding of faith is necessary.

 ‘In order to please God, four things must concur, all of which are accomplished by faith.

First, the person of him that pleaseth God must be accepted of Him (Gen. 4:4).

Second, the thing done that pleaseth God must be in accord with His will (Heb. 13:21).

Third, the manner of doing it must be pleasing to God: it must be performed in humility

(1 Cor. 15:10), in sincerity (Isa. 38:3), in cheerfulness (2 Cor. 8:12; 9:7).

Fourth, the end in view must be God’s glory (1 Cor. 10:31).

Now faith is the only means whereby these four requirements are met. By faith in Christ the person is accepted of God.

 Faith makes us submit ourselves to God’s will.

Faith causes us to examine the manner of what we do Godwards.

Faith aims at God’s glory: of Abraham it is recorded that he “was strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Rom. 4:20).’  Author Pink    http://www.eternallifeministries.org/pink/STUD-A32.pdf

 From a selfish point of view, faith is necessary for our own comfort. 

First, faith that God is with us and will help us gives us courage to go forward into whatever the future holds. By faith we Christians know we have a traveling companion who will never leave us nor forsake us. 

Second, faith in God takes the pressure off the Christian to bring about a specific outcome.  Christians are bound by duty and love to do the things Christ says to do.  Christians are to do the things Christ says to do with all their might.  But the ultimate outcome of our efforts is not in our hands.   

 Those wanting to have greater faith can follow the example of the apostles who requested, ‘“And the apostles said unto the Lord, increase our faith” (Luke 18:5).  Of many examples worthy to be followed in the Bible, this is one of the stands out to those seeking to please God.

 Faith leads us to follow the instructions in Colossians 3:2 which says, ‘Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.’  Christians understand that we will not ‘transform’ this earth into a utopian paradise through evangelistic efforts.  The lives of Christians in the United States have certainly been blessed by God.  God has provided us with a stable government and blessed the efforts of His children to prosper.  But, as we watch or freedoms erode we are reminded that our citizenship is in heaven.  That is the place where we will life eternally. 

 The more your affection is set on things above the more you are moved to act on your faith and to do the things Christ says to do.

 The more your affection is set on things above, the more you work to lay up treasures in heaven instead of here on earth.

 For Christians, their first ‘repentance’ is repentance that leads to salvation.  It is acknowledging their sins have separated them from God, turning from a life apart from God, and setting their face to walk in the narrow way.  Then, individual sins require repentance. This is not repentance to salvation, but repentance that maintains or restores fellowship with God.  As Christians grow in maturity, specific sins are brought to light.  They repent and turn from them.  Christians also realize there are things they should be doing, or should have been doing that have not been done.  Something often left undone is evangelism.  Perhaps they have not spoken out for Christ when the opportunity presented itself.  Perhaps they have not supported missionary and evangelistic efforts.  Perhaps they have not lived in a way that represents God in a manner pleasing to Him. 

 When a Christian begins to take his or her faith seriously he or she begins to work for the Lord full time.  I don’t mean they go into full time service as a missionary or evangelist or preacher, although that may happen.  I mean they begin to take very seriously doing the things Christ says to do every moment of every day. 

 I want to encourage you to do things Christ puts in your path today.  Often it will be a very normal day, filled with the same people and problems you had yesterday.  Honestly, repetitive days are really good.  On days that are pretty much the same as yesterday, you have an opportunity to ‘tweak’ things a little bit.  You can be kinder to the difficult person.  You can manage a recurring difficult situation a little better.  Your day-dreams can be put to better use.  You can think on the good things of God instead of the problems you are facing.  You can change your schedule to find more time to pray.

 ‘I Surrender All’

http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/i/s/u/isurrend.htm

All to Jesus, I surrender;

 All to Him I freely give;

 I will ever love and trust Him,

 In His presence daily live.

 Refrain

I surrender all, I surrender all,

 All to Thee, my blessèd Savior,
 I surrender all.

 Alll to Jesus I surrender;

 Humbly at His feet I bow,

 Worldly pleasures all forsaken;

 Take me, Jesus, take me now.

Refrain

All to Jesus, I surrender;

 Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
 Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
 Truly know that Thou art mine.

Refrain

All to Jesus, I surrender;

 Lord, I give myself to Thee;
 Fill me with Thy love and power;
 Let Thy blessing fall on me.

Refrain
All to Jesus I surrender;
 Now I feel the sacred flame.
 O the joy of full salvation!
 Glory, glory, to His name!
 
Refrain